Books that are self-published are given so much as a glance from publishers. Are they also given the same treatment by book critics?
Are self-published books worth giving reviews on?
Good morning :)
Not all of the time. My experience has been that many self-published books are very specifically academic in nature, and that is why they are passed up by large publishing houses; also, many authors want to retain all control over their work, so they opt for self-publication. One of the best examples I can think of in regards to an extremely specialized work not really suited for the largest majority of readers is David C. Wyncoop's "Children of the Sun: A History of the Spokane Indians." This is a fantastic text, priceless to me in my area of literary specialization, but probably wouldn't have a very large following required by many large publishing firms. This doesn't reflect on the text though; in this instance the content was by far more credible than other texts I found in the field, and Wyncoop published it himself.
I think that any great critic will seek out great literary works wherever they are hidden, not just be a puppet for a large publishing house.
I hope this helps!
Regards,
Gloria
Moderator, EssayForum.com
Not all of the time. My experience has been that many self-published books are very specifically academic in nature, and that is why they are passed up by large publishing houses; also, many authors want to retain all control over their work, so they opt for self-publication. One of the best examples I can think of in regards to an extremely specialized work not really suited for the largest majority of readers is David C. Wyncoop's "Children of the Sun: A History of the Spokane Indians." This is a fantastic text, priceless to me in my area of literary specialization, but probably wouldn't have a very large following required by many large publishing firms. This doesn't reflect on the text though; in this instance the content was by far more credible than other texts I found in the field, and Wyncoop published it himself.
I think that any great critic will seek out great literary works wherever they are hidden, not just be a puppet for a large publishing house.
I hope this helps!
Regards,
Gloria
Moderator, EssayForum.com